Brightest Dawn of the Federation
by HavocNation328
Summary: A war hardened Johnny Rico now faces the new challenge of becoming a member of the Green Lantern Corps. Can he cast aside his feelings of the war to protect the entire galaxy?
1. Prologue

**Chapter 1 - Klendathu**

"It's a good day to die,

When you know the reason why.

Citizens we fight for what is right

(Duty, respect, honor)

A noble sacrifice,

When duty calls we pay the price

For the Federation I would give my life!"

"Stow it trooper!" A voice called from down the row. The owner of the voice wore a navy green armor plated power suit. The troopers sat in rows facing each other within the dropship. A massive vehicle with the capability of entering and exiting the atmosphere of any planet. Four jet engines outfitted at the corners of the rectangular hold which contained the forces of the Federation along with their weapons and ammunition. "That song is much less motivating when we're minutes away from a drop." The cabin fell to silence as the troopers pulled their rifles from the slots besides their seats and performed final weapons checks. The thirty battle ready men and women sat in silence as they drew their weapons from the slots beside them. Hudson, the young man who played the newly found song of the United Citizens Federation pulled his Morita MK I rifle up to his lap inspecting the circular feeding system.

"Attention on deck!" A voice called out, forcing all troopers to snap to their feet, hands and rifles at their sides. With their chests poked out and heads held high, a man in a similar uniform walked down the middle of the rows. His helmet and face mask were activated, completely covering his face but also came with the feature to retract into the suit upon command. The visor of the helmet was the most complicated part of the entire suit. It controlled a series of commands ranging from activating the helmet to firing any mounted weapons on the body. His breastplate was bulky and thick due to the chest being the most attacked target area. Covering the abdomen was a flexible combination of thick kevlar and metal plating. The gauntlets on the forearms were segmented away from the power gloves which aided in hand to hand combat if it were ever needed. The legs were sealed, with the handle that protruded at the knee. The armor covered from the knee to the instep of the boots. On his back was a power pack with a magnet strong enough to snap his rifle to when not in use. The man swung his rifle upwards before holding it barrel down against his chest.

"At ease." The man said calmly, watching as his men widened their stance a bit, bringing their rifles to their chest in the downwards position. Their faces still locked forward. "We have the honor of going in with the first wave. Leaves a lot of bugs for us to kill and not much support. We will not be receiving any ordinance or aerial support for what can be three hours after drop." He continued pacing back and forth, studying the details of every soldier before him. "Our job is to take out the bug batteries and clear as many landing zones as we can for the second wave. The faster we move, the faster we can get support and plant a foothold on this planet. Remember your training and follow my every order and I can promise you, you will make it back to the dropship for pick up alive."

"Kill anything that has more than two legs and smash the area to pieces you apes!" A man yelled from behind him. He was taller and carried a larger weapon. The Morita Mk III Saw. A light machine gun with a longer barrel and heavier make. Their helmets both retracted into their suits. The larger man had a low buzz cut, a design cut into the right side of his head. His jawline was more narrow and eyes brown. His chin was coated in light hairs along the jaw. The top of his breastplate read "Ratzass" a nickname obtained in battle that has become as common as his real one use to be. The other standing before him Had black hair which was slicked backwards. The top left corner had a small grey patch in the hair. His face was covered in a neat and low beard dark enough to hide the skin below. His eyes were emerald green and face hardened. Johnny Rico, formerly general now bumped back down to colonel. The two exchanged a look before Rico continued.

"We land about a few hundred meters away from our first objective. We smash the area upon landing and jump to the first target. We destroy each target and move before the bugs can even reform their ranks. We do this on the bounce and by the numbers you get me?"

"We get you sir!" His forces chanted in unison.

"Back to your seats we drop in five!" Rico said before his helmet and facemask activated covering his head. Each suit was completely customizable when it came to decorations. Ratzass had two eyes on his helmet and teeth liming the top rim. He tucked his Morita Mk III Saw into the slot beside his seat neatly. With his lieutenant at his side, Rico scanned the cabin for his sergeant. She sat across from him, three seats to his left. Her breastplate read "Harpy" a name coined from her actual name, Elizabeth Harper. Besides her to her right was the platoon corporal named Riggs, an explosive expert known for creating his own explosive in the field of battle in record timing and always carrying some form of ordinance on his person. Rico couldn't help but smile at the stick of dynamite with a burning fuse painted onto the side of his helmet. With their faces hidden, the platoon seemed calm and confident but Rico knew that couldn't be any farther from the truth. Rico blinked both his eyes twice to activate a sensor in the visor to check the vitals of all of his troopers. Heart rates were a bit fast but still in the normal range. A third blink of his left eye displayed the names and ranks of his men on his HUD.

The communications channel opened in all of their helmets as the ship began to shake and rattle. "Hold on to something boys and girls bugs are firing back!" The pilot shouted with a hint of excitement in his voice. The ship picked up speed as it began to curve and sway out of the way of plasma blasts. "Incoming swarm sir," the pilot yelled, "no place to touch down your men are going to have to jump! I can provide cover fire but once you touch down I'm peeling off!" Rico was the first to shoot up to his feet. His men stood in two single file lines behind him as he reached the blast door. It slowly lowered showing the darkness of the night on planet Klendathu. Rico turned to face his men, rifle tugged against his chest.

"Live forever apes!" Rico yelled before jumping backwards into a free fall. Rico could hear his men yell as they jumped into the free fall. The radio chatter picked up as he noticed his platoon wasn't the only one dropping to the ground. "Roughnecks form up!" Rico yelled as his people began to maneuver in the air. Riggs and Ratzass were only a few meters behind him.

"Plasma incoming!" Harpy yelled through the communications.

"Evasive maneuvers! Fall in apes and hit the ground on the bounce!" Rico ordered as he sway out of the way of a plasma blast. His team formed almost a single file line behind him and seconds later, activated the jump jets that were designed right below the power pack of the suits. Rico landed into a stride before dropping to a knee. His platoon was soon behind him with Ratzass and Harpy landing followed by Riggs, Hudson and more. The howls of the Arachnids could be heard in the distance before the first of the warrior bugs charged from the shadows. The warrior bug was a quadrupedal insectoid being. Three meters long and colored in yellow and black to blend into the desert terrain of Klendathu. Their rear legs are much larger than that of the two in the front. Those powerful legs give them the spring to run at high speeds and climb surfaces. Their pencher like mandibles are thick and powerful enough to crush rock and burrow through the touch ground. It can rip through our suits and tare a dropship apart in just minutes if swarmed. The two side mandibles are used as claws that stab with the thrusting forced of a speeding truck. Their exoskeletons are thick and can take almost a full magazine to put down if you do not hit the nerve cluster. Their eyes were on the sides of their larger mandibles.

"Contact left!" Riggs yelled as he squeezed back on his trigger. The high caliber rounds spat from the Morita Mk I rifle blew off one of the Arachnid's rear legs and cut holes into the body of the insectoid beast. Its body crashed to the ground lifelessly. All fell silent for only moments before more howls were heard. Arachnids charged from seemingly every section of the planet.

"Contact, hostels coming from all around us sir!" Harpy yelled as she blinked twice with both eyes to display the position and number of enemies on her HUD which also included an aim assistant. She turned and squeezed back on her trigger as the bugs grew closer. Ratzass squeezed his trigger, letting loose the power of his Morita MK III Saw, mowing bugs down as he blasted through their exoskeleton and hitting the nerve cluster.

"Come on bugs! You think I give a rat's ass if I die!?" Ratzass roared his signature war cry as he dropped to a knee, making him more stable as his weapon kicked back roughly on each round.

"Roughnecks, push them back and advance!" Rico yelled through the coms as he stood to his feet. Riggs pulled a grenade from his belt and chucked it overhead into a group of Arachnids. Their bodies blew into pieces which flew into different directions once the grenade exploded on impact. The entire platoon moved forward as one, shooting down the numbers of the Arachnids as they continued their push. The dead bodies of the Arachnids began to pile as more and more of the m fell to the bullet storm. The platoon reformed its ranks at the base of a hill. "From here on we push east. Riggs, close any bug hole you see, I could do without an unexpected ambush today." Rico commanded. Rico's mind wandered to the first drop on Klendathu. His friends and squadmates who lost their lives on these sands. How he almost missed pick up due to an Arachnid driving its mandibles downwards pencer into his thigh. The pain long gone but still there mentally as he remembered himself laying there before the howls of his worst fear came crawling his way. He couldn't remember how but he knows Ratzack pulled him out of the grinder.

"Sir, we got movement! About a hundred warriors coming from the north flank!" Ratzass snapped him from his trip down memory lane.

"Push to that hilltop," Rico said as he extended his hand towards the mini hill shaped platform. "On the bounce!" Rico yelled to signal his soldiers to activate their jump jets. It was a short jump to the hill, most of them landing in the middle of the platform. Riggs left the bugs a small explosive as a surprise. The small explosive went off, taking a large amount of the bugs with it. The last to make it to the platform was a pirate named O'hara. Her breastplate read "Raid" and helmet was decorated with a spray can and a bug laying on its back. The Roughnecks made a half circle formation on the platform, taking up the best firing positions they could. The platform itself would force the bugs to move uphill, making them easier targets to hit from above. Crawling over their fallen kin, the bugs continued their forward push, attempting to swarm over the troopers. Their constant fire dropped more bugs as they continued forward even through limbs being blown from their bodies. Ratzass took a step forward and held down his trigger, spraying rounds into the final Arachnid warrior. Its body jerked left and right as it struggled to take even a half step forward before falling to the ground down. Ratzass noticed its eye move and locked onto him. He turned around and aimed directly for it before emptying what was left in his magazine.

"Always check for a pulse boys and girls." Ratzass said as he swung his massive rifle onto his shoulder.

"Roughnecks!" Rico called out, catching the attention of his team. "Proceed on mission," hos command was met with a more effective pace to get back on mission time. They were behind by a total of twenty minutes thanks to the skirmish with the bugs but to his delight, he had yet to face a casualty. Rico could only hope the same for the other platoons. They bounced a few times before stopping at the edge of a cliff overlooking a field of Plasma Bugs. Harpy noticed a squad already engaged and pointed them out.

"HUD says that's Alpha Team sir," she explained.

"Doesn't sound good sir," Hudson said. "There are reports of heavy losses coming from Alpha sir." Hudson was the team communications specialist. He was what connected the Roughnecks to every other team.

"Send their feed to my helmet," Rico said as he heard a voice he faintly remembered.

"Transmitting now sir," Hudson responded as he gave the flip up panel a few taps on his forearm.

"We're really in the grinder now boys, push these bastards back!" The voice was loud and clear, one of the survivors of Planet P and a great friend to Rico, Ace.

"Ratzass take point. Riggs and Harpy on the rear, get in there and kill em all!" Rico ordered. His platoon moved as one, sliding down the hill and following Ratzass as he cleared a path to the field. A trooper looked over his shoulder at the oncoming reinforcements.

"We got backup boys!" He yelled as he continued ripping through the bugs with his Morita MK III saw. What was left of his squad formed up on his position, giving suppressing fire while the Roughnecks moved into position. The two platoons together began pushing the bugs back, ripping their bodies to pieces with the combined fire power.

"Rockets up!" Rico ordered. Riggs, Hudson and another private whos chestplate read "Jones," dropped to their knees, using a series of blinks to scroll through their options menu within the helmet to finally activate the missile packs slung onto their left shoulders. The large box shaped launching barrels shifted and rested on their shoulder before opening to expose the rockets within. "Fire at will!"

"Back blast clear?" Riggs called out.

"Clear," Jones and Hudson answered up in unison.

"Fire in the hole!" Riggs called. Their HUDs lit up with red circles as the targeting system locked on to the Plasma Bugs. The Plasma Bug was the Arachnid's planetary defense system, acting as anti aircraft and artillery units. They have enormous abdomens which swell up and launch a plasma burst into the planet's orbit. Surprisingly enough, these monsters are accurate and carry enough punch to deflect an asteroid or split a starhip in two. The rockets propelled from their base, dancing in a tight formation as the reached closer to their targets.

"Take cover!" Rico ordered aa he finished off and Arachnid warrior before dropped just below a small ledge. His troopers as well as Alpha team did the same and within seconds came the massive explosion, setting off a chain of explosions from the Plasma Bug's position. Body parts flew past them as the sky glowed a bright white and blue. Returning to a standing position, the Roughnecks and Alpha team faced off.

"Hell yeah!" Riggs cheered at his handy work. "Ya'll see that? Perfection!"

"Assistanded by the hero of Planet P himself," Ace said as he extended his hand. Rico took it at the forearm as the two pulled each other in for a brief hug.

"You're an Exterminator now huh Ace? What," Rico taunted, "Roughnecks get too tough for you?"

"After making rank, they gave me a platoon to command and it's been hell. I'm still not a leader Rico, not like you." Ace admitted to both Rico and himself.

"Hey, us old wolves have to keep pushing so the cubs here can live to fight another day." Rico said in encouragement. "Any other platoons make it this far?"

"Negative, the resistance is too strong and we only have about an hour's time to take down another position in this sector." Ace explained.

"The combined forces of our platoons should be enough," Rico suggested.

"Then let's get moving, Exterminators fall in!" Ace's men formed up behind him. "By my count we have nine casualties."

"On the bounce!" Rico called as he ordered them to make their first jump. Harpy was leading on point while Rico, Ace and Riggs were in the middle ranks keeping order. Covering the flank was Ace's lieutenant, a woman with the name Deadeye on her chestplate. Her helmet had a bullseye on the right side of her helmet. She held the Morita XXX Snipe Rifle clutched against her chest. "Hudson," Rico's voice came in through cos calmly, "scout ahead, paint me a picture of what's over the ridge." Hudson picked up his pace, running up the ridge and giving a live feed of what he could see to Rico's helmet.

"How bad does it look up there?" Ace asked.

"Not good," Rico replied. He could see the bodies of what looked like multiple platoons spread across the battlefield in bloody pools.

"It's an ambush sir and another platoon as walking straight into the grinder!" Hudson called out.

"Listen up you apes!" Rico got the attention of both platoons, "Over this ridge is a swarm and by the looks of it, we have to get through the swarm to get to the final objective. A platoon is already walking straight into the grinder but M.I. does the dying. We smash the entire area, pull our boys out of the grinder and blow these bug bastards to hell!"

"Sir yes sir!" Both platoons answered up.

"Prepare to engage!" Rico ordered as both platoons formed up at the top of the ridge. Hudson was visibly tense as was Ace. He looked towards Deadeye who gave a reassuring nod of her head. "Engage!" On his word, Rico was the first into action, jumping over two hundred meters and landing in a full sprint trying to catch up to the platoon ahead. The rock sides bottled into a small canyon, prime spot for a swarm to rain down on troopers. The closer he got, he could hear their coms and yelled for them to stop hoping he could get to them in time. After the first howl he knew he was too late. The canyon walls seemed to open up as the Arachnids rushed into the small canyon. The troopers opened fire but there wasn't much they could do at that range. Opening its powerful mandibles, a warrior bug gripped a man by his stomach and held him in the air as its powerful jaws began to crush down, ripping through his power suit. His team pumped the creature full of rounds but its grip never gave. The bug fell to its death just as the power suit and the man within was ripped in half. Rico came within firing range and let loose as he continued his sprint. Ace came up behind him, helping with his light machine gun. Soon joined Ratzass and Harpy while Deadeye stayed closer to the back, slugging Arachnids in their nerve cluster with deadly accuracy. Stabbing its side mandible through the chest of a trooper before throwing his body completely to the side, a warrior bug howled to alert the other bugs that there were reinforcements. The Arachnid rushed forward, knocked a trooper onto his back before trampling over him, impaling his body repeatedly as it rushed for the new set of troopers. Ace turned his attention to the aggression of the bug and began to unload on it. Its body jerked and struggled to step forward. Riggs and Hudson aided Ace in putting the bug down.

"Harpy, Riggs, Hudson take to the left wall. Killjoy, Bomber, james take the right!" The six troopers climbed the walls of the canyon, using the high ground to create a cross fire, forcing the bugs back into the holes. "Push them back!" Rico yelled as he and the main force pushed forward. The remaining members of the trapped platoon joined the combined force of The Exterminators and the Roughnecks. Pressing forward as Riggs sealed the holes with the aid of another explosives specialist. Making it through the canyon and having a clear sight to the last target. The bugs were already in route to attack them.

"What do we do?" Hudson asked as he watched the swarm charge.

"Get in there and kill em all!" Ace yelled as he rushed forward. Rico nodded before following suit and the combined forces pressed forward. The first Arachnid dropped to the ground before any of them could pull the trigger. Ace heard Deadeye confirm her kill before continuing to fire from her position in the back ranks. The number of bugs began to pile as some fell back down the slight hill and others died crawling over the fallen. With a jump, the troopers were over the pile of bodies and pushing the swarm back.

"Reloading!" A voice called through coms. Rico could see the trooper shift behind the front lines and reload before rejoining the ranks within a matter of seconds. The troopers put themselves into a diamond formation, slowing their run to steps as the swarm grew closer.

"Shit there's just too many!" a voice called as a bug hole opened up and more bugs began to pour out.

"Hold the line!" Rico called out as he found his weapon running dry. He reloaded and watched as the swarm inched ever so close. More bug bodies dropped from the side where the hole formed.

"Nine hundred and ninety one, nine hundred and ninety two, nine hundred and ninety three," Deadeye counted off as she continued to let loose with her rifle. An Arachnid sprung from underground, kicking up dirt and rocks towards Harpy. Her attention immediately turned to the insectoid charging to her. Her helmet locked on to the nerve cluster as the bug opened its mandibles and just as it lunged, Harpy squeezed back on her trigger, causing its lifeless carcass to fall onto her, pinning her to the ground.

"James, help Harpy!" Rico ordered. James had a white cross on the forehead of his helmet signifying that he was a medic. He rushed to her position, shoving his boot into the dead bug, knocking it over. The ground shook, causing the two to pause as James was in the midst of helping Harpy to her feet. The ground shook again and again until they saw the beetle resemblant face of a Plasma Bug.

"Plasma Bug!" James yelled as he and Harpy joined the ranks. Rico turned his attention to the Plasma Bug, its body slowly beginning to turn. Riggs activated the canister on his shoulder, firing one rocket into the abdomen of the Plasma Bug just as its shell and wings opened and began the charging process. The explosion knocked everyone to the battlefield to the ground, even killing a few Arachnids in the process. Rico made his way to his feet, still seeing a swarm of bugs charging his way. Deadeye stood and instantly continued her barrage of deadly accurate shots.

"On your feet!" Ace yelled as he grabbed his weapon and began cutting loose. Riggs and Ratzass moved to the front lines, roaring as they fired into the mass of the bugs. The combined platoons could see the bugs continue to crawl forward even while their bodies were pierced with heavy rounds. The death of one bug only seemed to spark the appearance of two more. The sound of heavy clanking and radio chatter could be heard in the distance. Rockets shot overhead, bombarding the charging Arachnids as they desperately fought to protect their forces. Gatling guns whined as they sprayed thousands of rounds into the hordes. The bugs began to press the offensive, charging forward in a much more rushed pace. Their bodies tightened up as they ran, making themselves as small and hard a target as they could. The troopers found it exceedingly more difficult to lock their sights onto a target and put it down.

"Flank left!" Rico called out. He took a step to the left as Ratzass rolled to his left shoulder before crouching against the wall of a rock and dropping a warrior bug. The Roughnecks swept left, leaving Ace and his platoon to hold off the frontal assault. The bugs hadn't caught on to the idea of being outflanked.

"Sir, in about a minute we are gonna wunna get down!" Harpy called out as she picked up radio chatter from Fleet Command.

"Rico, hit the deck!" Ace called just as the sounds of the engines became audible. The star fighters raced overhead, drooping their payloads of small canisters. The canisters smashed into the mass of bugs, bouncing and mashing their bodies before exploding into a blaze of fire.


	2. Press On

**Chapter 2 - Press On**

The dust settled as Rico picked his head up from the sands of Klendathu's surface. The battlefield fell into a hush of silence. A silence that made him feel all too uneasy. He brought himself up to a knee, sighting down his rifle and sweeping the area for life. He could pick up the life signatures of his platoon, not a casualty to be accounted for. He looked up to the night sky that casted the planet into a pitch black. His night vision activated, showing him the empty void of Klendathu's skies. His first drop on Klendathu flashed through his mind. The darkness of the night's sky and the silence before their first encounter. His jaw clenched as he thought about Keenan and Tsitzumi. Their bodies dismembered and mangled, thrown to the other bugs to be torn apart. Rico shook his thoughts free of his mind as he rooted himself back into the situation at hand.

"Rico," Ace called from behind him. Rico turned to see Ace had his helmet retracted. His hair still void of color and spiked upwards. His face seemingly hadn't changed one bit. Rico retracted his helmet, exposing the wide smirk on his face at the thought that Ace still looked like a weasel. A weasel with a grotesque scar that stretched across his cheek bone.

"I see you've had a visit from the bug exterior designers?" Rico said with a sarcastic tone.

"You and me both," Ace replied with a chuckle. "Bug tried to take my head off. Thankfully, he was just a little too slow."

"How does it feel to be back where it all began?" Rico asked him as he shouldered his rifle.

"I didn't think we would make it off this rock the first time, much less be alive this deep into the war." Ace looked off into the distance, "I've got a bad feeling about this place Johnny. Feels like it should be our final resting place or something."

"Cut it trooper," Rico cut in, "we aren't dying. Not on this rock."

The two platoons began to move to their next objective. Their formation was loose to insure a proper defense in the event of an ambush. Helmets were all retracted in the night's sky as they each breathed in Klendathu's air. "So how the hell did Ace Leavey end up as the commander of a platoon?"

"We lost our commanding officer time and time again. Young men who thought they could just come in from the academy and fight the bugs with shitty tactics. The Mobile Infantry took note of me saving all of our asses every mission and deemed me suited for the job. After my screw up on Invasion Day, I never thought I would see a position of power again."

"We can do things differently, keep more of our guys alive and hopefully make it off this hell hole for the second time." Rico's words were void of optimism. The two fell into a momentary silence that was broken by the sound of another trooper's voice.

"May I join you sir?" She asked.

"At ease trooper, no need to be so formal. This will technically count as our R&R." Rico joked.

"You're barking up the wrong tree there bud, she's about as stiff as the ground beneath our feet. My natural stick in the ass," Ace joked about his trooper. Her chest rig read "Deadeye" and judging by the length of her rifle, Rico could tell she was the platoon sniper.

"She'll come around," Rico said. "Helmets up!" He called out as he heard the bugs of f in the distance. Just from his ears he could tell they were over a few thousand meters away but in mass numbers. His night vision took hold as he zoomed in on the distance, scanning for any of the men set on watching the parameter. "Ace, any word from the vanguard?" Rico asked. It took a few blinks to open a secure channel to Ace's helmet.

"Not a word," Ace responded. "Don't tell me these guys got swarmed." Riggs shot his hand up and motioned to the south. He was more than just an explosives expert. He could track a bug for miles like a hound hunting for ducks. Rico often referred to him as his bug radar. Harpy quickly positioned herself next to Deadeye, motioning to the north of their position and draping to a knee and zooming in, acting as a spotter. Her zoom went blurry for a moment then focused in on the helmet of a trooper.

"Sir, Vector Platoon incoming. Something's on their ass because they're moving." Harpy called out.

"Troopers!" Rico called for their attention. Each trooper averted their gaze to Rico. "Form up along that ridge line and cover Vector. Once they're clear, light up whatever is on their asses." Just as they took their positions, Vector jumped and landed behind their positions. The troopers aimed down their sights, ready to meet with the inevitable.

"We have a problem sir!" The platoon leader shouted. "There's a swarm coming, bigger than expected and more bugs on their way to join them. We have maybe a half hour before they reach this position."

"No time to retreat, they will be on our asses, what's the call?" Ace asked.

"If those bugs storm past us they will have a clear way to the main LZ just south of this position. This is their counter offensive so we hold them here." Rico looked around and found a rock platform that stood roughly twenty meters hold up on that platform. Riggs, set this canyon pass to blow, if we can slow them down we can pick them off."

"I've got torrents," Vector's platoon leader said. Within seconds four torrents were set around the platform in all directions. The troopers took their positions on the platform.

"Five minutes out sir," Deadeye announced as she looked through her scope. Ratzass took a knee as the shrieks of the Arachnids began. They were faint but audible. It took seconds for them to grow louder. The first Arachnid stood at the opening of the canyon, extending its mandibles before shrieking in a call to its allies.

"Shit, contact!" A trooper called. The first two torrents began to whine as the barrels spun. The rounds spit from the barrel at an alarming rate, rendering what was a dangerous creature to a body of holes. Its body broke into pieces as the high caliber bullets ripped through its exoskeleton. More bugs rushed through the canyon into the clearing.

"Riggs blow it!" Rico called.

"Gladly," Riggs pressed his thumb on the detonator, blowing the many charges set along the canyon walls. Arachnid bodies were thrown as the collective explosions went off. Even through the chaos, the bugs kept their momentum. Their forward charge was unmatched.

"Shit, fire at will!" Ace called before squeezing the trigger of his rifle. The battlefield lit up with the many muzzle flashes of rifles and torrent guns. The warrior bugs were torn apart as their limbs blew off with the force of the high caliber rounds slicing through their armored skin. Crawling over one another and knocked the dying aside, the Arachnids still pushed forward. Deadeye took aim and shot the arachnids she could find as the most healthy moving forward. She was ensuring that not a single bug got close without falling to the sands dead.

"Holy shit," Riggs said as a burst of arachnids pushed forward, more aggressive in nature. The bugs rushed the platform, smashing their bodies into it from the shere momentum of their speed. Ratzass aimed down the edge, blowing off body parts as he emptied his magazine into the bugs below.

"Something's up Ace, the bugs are way too aggressive even for a planet assault." Rico said.

"Well them lets blow them all to hell and worry about it later, hey tech head!" Ace called out to his communications trooper.

"Yes sir? He turned from his position and retreated into the mass of troopers. His position was quickly taken by a trooper from Vector Platoon.

"Get on coms and tell Fleet to blas this horde of bugs, tell them its a priority one situation, we have a queen in transport."

"Are you sure that's what's going on sir?"

"Don't question me trooper do it!" Ace yelled as he returned to his position to contribute to the battle.

"Vector, tighten up on the right flank!" Rico yelled. The bodies of the arachnids began to pile up as more attempted to climb over the dead and dying. An arachnid made its way to the platform, snapping its jaws at Hudson but was met with the faces of multiple barrels and a hell storm of bullets. Its body crashed into the dead, mixing with the lifeless pile. Rico took a step back, letting Ratzass take his firing position to get the attention of the communications technician. "Where the hell is our air support?"

"Fleet sent a bombing squad out and it should have reached us by now." The trooper was visibly shaken. Rico couldn't see his armor shake but he could tell by his posture the young man was shaking in his boots. "What do we do?"

"We fight, no bug makes it past this clearing." Rico turned his back to the trooper before returning to his firing position. The bugs continued their push, inching ever so close. An arachnid managed to reach the troopers just before dying. As its body dropped, its front mandible jammed into the upper quadricep of a trooper. He instantly cried out in pain as the heavy body of the arachnid slid backwards, dragging the mandible through his armor, flesh and bone, ripping open his leg and knee cap. As he fell to the ground two of the three medic troopers pulled him to the middle of the formation and instantly began working on closing the wound and patching the gash.

"You're gonna make it Jones just hold on." The medic said calmly through his screams. She rushed through her medic pack to find the binding gel to close his wound as the other medic administered the anesthetics. Jones calmed as he no longer felt the pain of his injury, giving the medics the time to patch him up. "See, good as new," she said sarcastically before holding up her rifle.

"Sir," Riggs said as he activated his shoulder rockets, "I can blow as many of them to hell as I.."

"Stow it trooper, save the payload for the plasma bugs!" Rico cut him short as he continued to fire. "We are a no go for air support people, we have to push the bugs back ourselves!" Ace stood to his feet and jumped into the clump of dead bugs. His eyes narrowed as he slowed his breathing to think clearly. His muscles tensed and were ready to meet every action with a pure instinctual reaction. Behind him followed his platoon of troopers. They were no stranger to close quarters with the arachnids. Ace rolled to his right, avoiding a swing of a mandible before firing a well aimed round into its nerve cluster, dropping the insectoid in just one shot.

"Let's back them up!" The leader of Vector yelled. His men cleared the left and right flank of the platform before jumping into the onslaught. The Roughnecks brought up the rear, making sure none of the platoons were attacked from behind as they made their push. Radio chatter came in from close by platoons, the convo of bugs was now facing an assault from multiple fronts.

"Just how many bugs are transporting this thing? Ratzass asked.

"Sir I have five platoons ahead confirmed to be engaging the convo," Harpy added.

"Then let's blow them all to hell, we kill a queen and we strike a major blow!" Rico and his men pushed forward to stand along the other two platoons. Hudson took a knee, squeezing rounds into a still crawling warrior bug before pivoting to his right to catch the arachnid that hid just over the cliff, waiting to snatch someone. A hole formed in the ground in the back ranks. Deadeye and Riggs turned to quickly pacify the oncoming bugs. James slowly turned himself to assist as well. Their combined efforts killed the three warriors that sprung from the hole. The fourth hadn't had the chance to surface before Riggs closed the hole with a grenade. The radio chatter picked up, screams of terror, pain and orders rang through their communications system. The sounds almost caused Rico to miss the sound of the bombing squad. His eyes widened as he watched them pass over head.

"Get down!" Rico yelled before diving for the ground. Everyone threw their bodies to the ground just as the canisters his the sands and bounced into their explosions. The battlefield flashed a bright light before falling back to the darkness of the Klendathu night. Again the silence but this time only for a moment as the sound of the bombing squads coming back for another pass were heard. "On your feet troopers!" Rico ordered as he stood up. "We need to move, on the bounce!" All three platoons activated their jump jets in a desperate attempt to escape the firepower of Fleet. The troopers jumped over the edge of a nearby cliff, sliding down the sandy side and using it as cover from the explosions.

"Sound off," Vector's leader called. The troopers one by one called out their call signs signifying they were still alive.

"That's one hell of a way to get air support," Ratzass said. "I wonder who's killing more of us, the bugs or Fleet?"

"M.I. does the dying and Fleet does the flying," Ace chimed in as he stood to his feet. "Form up you apes, we still have work to do. The troopers returned to their march on mission taking what the troopers felt was an eternity to cover the ground they lost. Deadeye and D were over eight hundred meters ahead, scouting the terrain for any ambush. Ratzass was in the rear with a few of Ace's men. Riggs and Harpy stood with Ace and Rico in the middle, keeping eyes on they sky. They entered another open field, their radios picking up chatter and the flashing lights from muzzle flashes could be seen in the distance.

"Four hundred meters to the target," D radioed in. Rico raised his fist, signifying the formation of troopers to hold their position.

"Weapons at the ready, we are going to run and gun. Flank the bugs and catch them by surprise while they're still focused on the forces they are dealing with." Rico ordered. He readied his rifle and bent his knees slightly to prepare for the run ahead. "Prepare to engage," Rico ordered. He hadn't needed to turn to know his men were ready to dive into battle. "Engage!" Rico pressed forward quickly followed by Ace, Ratzass, Harpy and Riggs. D and Deadeye took up positions in the rear. Their jump jets activated and in just one jump, they were almost face to face with the enemy. Rico was the first to land on the body of a bug he disposed of as soon as he reached the peak of his jump. Two more warrior bugs charged his position but were quickly put down by his landing forces. The combined efforts of the three platoons pushed the bugs back just enough to see the troopers in a desperate fight for their lives.

"We have support, watch your fire to the left flank!" A trooper called out. "Punch them a hole through the bug defense and take that damn plasma bug down!" His troopers wore black armor, signifying they were the marines of the Mobile Infantry. Some called them the best of the best but even in a swarm, a platoon of marines is no match for the bugs. They were down to the last ten men and fighting frantically to keep the ground they lost so many to gain. Ace and ratzass pushed forward first, firing in a sweeping motion to pepper the bugs in bullets to soften their ranks.

"Riggs, get ready," Rico called out as he rushed forward, dropping two bugs with the help of Hudson who was catching up to his position. Vector Platoon decided to aid the remaining marines by joining ranks. Ace kept his forces back in case of surprise while still holding off the bulk of the bug swarm. They slowly punched a hole in the bugs formation with a clear shot to the plasma bug. "Riggs you know what to do!" Riggs didn't speak to confirm his orders, he was already running at top speed. He kept a consistent flow of fire while he ran to keep the bugs off him.

"Covering fire!" Harpy yelled as she turned her attention to Riggs. The bugs caught on and turned their full attention to Riggs as well. He kept moving, one foot in front of the other as his rifle continued to spit round after round until it clicked empty and detached the empty magazine. Riggs rolled forward to avoid the jaws of an Arachnid and seconds later, its body was reduced to a bloody stump as multiple lines of fire crossed over it. Sliding a fresh magazine into his rifle's feeding chamber, Riggs stayed on a knee, hitting a warrior bug in the nerve cluster and dropping it instantly. He stood to his feet again, running for the target. Around him bullets whizzed by, slightly missing him just over the shoulder or past his body to keep the bugs off of him long enough. He could see the flash of blue as the plasma bug charged another shot powerful enough to cripple if not destroy a starship. With only two blinks his suit's targeting system activated and the canister on his shoulder slung over. The hatch opened as the target locked and the nuke jettisoned from the canister.

"Everyone fall back!" Rico called. Riggs turned on his heel and instantly jumped as far as he could away. He was still meters from his team but kept running as the nuke lurched closer and closer to the plasma bug. The area flashed white, even with their backs turned to the blast they were blinded and their bodies thrown to the sands yet again. The thunderous sound of the explosion followed moments later. The skies settled back to the darkness and the silence engulfed the battlefield. Troopers regained their composure and turned to see the charred carcases of the bug swarm from the blast.

"Anyone up for bug barbeque?" A trooper said sarcastically.

"On the bounce troopers, we have to get back to the LZ and await reinforcements." Ace called out. "Hey tech head, call it in, we have eliminated all plasma bugs in sector twenty two." His communications technician nodded before kneeling down and pulling his pack from his back.

"Looks like the war isn't done with us yet Ace," Rico said standing next to his long time friend.

"Hopefully we can be done with it at the end of this campaign."


	3. Lantern's Light

**Chapter 3 - Lantern's Light**

A young warrior flew through the void of space. His mind only on responding to the call of his superiors. His sector was far behind him now, out of his jurisdiction. His hair danced about as he picked up his speed, racing through the stars and planets. His right fist was extended forward and on it sat an emerald ring, its power glowing a bright emerald green that covered his body from head to toe, allowing him to breathe through the vacuum of space and giving him the ability to fly. The white shield of his mask covered his eyes. His mask sat directly over his eyes and nose, partially resting on his forehead and stretched from temple to temple. His suit was sleek and form fitting. The collar of his suit was green that stretched along his neck muscle and down his chest and back in the shape of a triangle. His waist had two triangles that stretched out along the triangle coming down his chest which covered down to his feet in green as the space between was as black as the space he flew through. His booted were black and matched the sleeves of his suit. On his left shoulder were two green rectangles that lay parallel to each other and between them a green circle. On his chest laid a white circle with the same emblem in green. His eyes narrowed as he came within view of his destination. A massive plane glowing in emerald with a large emerald ring around the shape of it. He knew he was finally facing Mogo, one of the strongest in the Green Lantern Corps. A living planet and home to the Green Lanterns and The Guardians.

Landing on the planet's surface, he was greeted by a taller and more muscular man. His skin the color of copper and hair cut low at the top with the sides and back shaved. His suit bore the same color scheme but different in design. His jaw strong and covered in a full beard. His eyes were emerald green, as were all Lanterns once their mask faded, exposing their identity to one another. His mask faded and showed the remainder of his face to his ally. He stood, observing the taller man for a moment. His suit was green from the neck down to the end of the shoulders. His forearms were also green from just below the elbow to his wrists and from his calves to his ankles. The suit was filled in black. In the middle of his chest laid a green circle and within a green lantern shaped emblem unlike his own.

"If the Guardians pulled you all the way from Sector 1760 then there must be trouble," he said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"And bringing the hero of the Sinestro Corps Wars from Earth? I can only imagine what troubles lay ahead Lantern Stewart."

"Still as formal as ever I see, Sodam Yat," John smiled as he extended his hand. The two clasped at each other's forearms. "But on Mogo it's just John," the Lantern joked. The two walked along Mogo's surface of thick and exotic plant life. The plants shifted out of their way as they continued deep within his lands. The leaves of the trees were a vibrant purple and bark as blue as the oceans on Earth. Vines of yellow and deep oranges while the grass was red. They made their way to a clearing where they found a small floating humanoid being. His hair was crystal whtie and pulled back into a ponytail. His skin was as blue as the trees of Mogo. He wore a long white robe with a red chest decoration. His hands were clasped behind his back as he faced the night's sky. A beautiful color of deep purple as Mogo stayed between two suns and four moons in the current space sector. As he turned to face the two Lanterns, his kind eyes seemed hardened and face twisted into a worried scowl. He raised his left eyebrow as he looked upon his two subordinates.

"Sodam Yat and John Stewart, I am glad you could answer my call," he stated. "We await the arrival of one more Lantern, the ever so eventful Hal Jordan." Before either could question the need for this strong a fighting force, Jordan swooped through the trees into a floating position just above their heads.

"Sorry I'm late, had to make my exit from a Justice League meeting. Batman wasn't too happy about me leaving early but then again he's never happy." His smirk grew as he landed on the soft grass of Mogo, his glow diminishing and mask fading. His hair was brown and combed over to the side. His suit fit to his skin like another layer. As tall as John but just a few pounds shy in bulk but his muscular definition far surpassed that of most Lanterns in the Corps. His suit was green from his neck to his shoulders and running down his chest. The green stopped at his pelvis and wrapped around his waist in the shape of an arrow. His suit was filled in black. His gloves reached from his hand up to his elbow in white and his boots covered up to his claves in green. His emblem sat on his chest resembling that of John Stewart's.

"Now that I have you all here, we can begin." Ganthet's voice was void of emotion which was uncharacteristic for him. "Sector 2317 has been decimated and Lanterns who go there to investigate have been killed or injured. The only survivor mumbled the words 'Manhunter' before slipping into a state of unconsciousness.

"Wait why would the Manhunters attack the Arachnid Quarantine Zone? The whole point to their name is to hunt man or humanoid beings not insects." John said.

"The Terran forces have launched an all out assault in hopes of putting an end to their ongoing war." Sodam Yat added. "I hear it's just as bad as the first."

"How did the Manhunters even turn up here? I thought we destroyed the last remnants of them." Hal interjected.

"I can not answer the question of why they are here, I can only send my strongest Lanterns to investigate and bring an end to this madness," Ganthet explained. "Charge your rings and investigate the sector immediately," ganthet turned his back to them, clasping his hands behind his back once more. "We can ill afford another Lantern death."

"Are the Manhunters as powerful as the legends say?" Sodam asked.

"If not stronger," Hal answered, "if they are trying to make a comeback, we have to put an end to it fast or more lives will be at risk." The three Lanterns nodded in agreement before flying into the sky and pulling their personal portable batteries from their ring's pocket dimensions.

"In brightest day, in blackest night," they chanted in unison as they extended their ringed fists into the opening of the lanterns. "No evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power, Green Lantern's light!" With their chant came a burst of emerald energy. Willpower flowed into their rings, charging them to full capacity in preparation for the mission ahead. The three Lanterns took flight to the dark void of space.

Klendathu's surface is covered in the deceased bodies of its native creatures and the attacking Terran forces. Ace slide down the side of his rock perch before running to Rico's position. "We have a problem, Techy here said there are reports coming in of five platoons downed just seven cliques west of our position."

"D, get up here!" Rico called out. "Scan the western area and report back, we will be three cliques behind you." With a simple nod, D was on his way forward at top speed, bouncing when he could find the time to.

"Reports say robots," Ace added. "What the hell would mechs be doing on Klendathu?"

"Let's go find out." The Roughnecks, Vector Platoon, Bravo Platoon and marines formed together into a bigger force and pressed on west. The troopers pushed through open land and canyons at top speed.

"Sir, you're not gonna believe this shit," D radioed in. He sent his live feed to Rico, showing him the human shaped robots blasting through trooper.

"Our boys need help, pull em out of the grinder1" Rico called out. D took aim from his perch and zeroed in on the head of a standing Manhunter. His breathing shallow and heart rate steadied. Pulling the trigger, his body jerked slightly from the caliber of the bullet. The road raced through the sky until it crashed into the head of the Manhunter, throwing his body to the ground. Just as D turned to zero in on another target, he could feel something unsettling. He quickly panned back to the downed target and watched as it stood to its feet and turned to face him.

"Oh shit," D said before jumped from his position as a powerful blast of energy just missed him. Before help could arrive, D found himself facing down an Arachnid. "This just ain't my day."

"Contact left!" D12 yelled as he and Henderson opened fire along with five men from Vector. A bug hole opened in the side of a wall with multiple warriors rushing out. Rico and Ace turned their attention to the hole as well as multiple others. Ratzass took a knee in front of everyone else, pouring round after round into the warriors and anything moving from the hole.

"We have no time for this, Riggs nuke it!" Rico ordered. Riggs happily obliged with another round from his canister of the left over nukes. The nuke rushed down the hole until it found a solid area to slam against and explode, closing the hole and collapsing the built tunnel killing all Arachnids inside. "Move!" Rico ordered as they returned to their current objective. By the time they reached the battlefield all they found were bodies. The lifeless bodies littered the area sprawled and thrown in every direction. This armor singed and burned from the blasts of energy. D12 dropped to a knee next to a fallen trooper, examining the damage. His head hung as he continued to look at the remains.

"What the hell could've done this?" Vector asked.

"From what I saw a robot or android. They were built to look like a robotic human and used energy attacks. Judging by the damage, the energy is as strong as a plasma blast from a baby plasma bug." D explained. "To make matters worse, I shot one in the head clean and the fucker shrugged it off."

"We have to hunt these things down. Techy get a message out to Fleet and all M.I. forces on the ground." Ace ordered.

"Then we hunt these things," Rico said.

"I don't think we have to sir," D said with a shakiness to his voice. "Contact north!" He shouted just before the blast of energy smacked into one of the marines, throwing his body to the sands in a smoking heap of death.

"Shit, man down!" Vector called.

"Take cover and return fire!" Ace yelled. The troopers scattered to cover, hiding themselves behind rocks or in ditches. Few peaked up from behind their positions to take aim at their attackers. The Manhunters floated above them, bullets bouncing from their armored bodies. Their faces were silver and eyes lifeless. A terrifying glow of bright red that matched the cowl covering their heads. The body was covered in more red with silver running down the length of the torso in thick lines starting on the outside of the pectorals leading down to the waist line. Their upper thighs were rimmed with silver and their boots and gauntlets matched the color. They closed in, with long silver poles they used to fire upon the troopers.

"What the hell even are those things?!" Harpy yelled before she rolled out into the open, taking a few shots before diving for Rico and Ace's position. "Any plans here?"

"Keep dumping bullets into it," Ace said.

"Riggs, hit these things with everything you've got left, everyone else, covering fire!" Rico stood to his feet as the three beings pressed forward. The combined barrage from the troopers stopped the advancement of the Manhunters. "Now Riggs!" Rico yelled as he emptied his magazine.

"You got it boss!" Riggs activated his remained nukes and watched as they shot forward. It took them seconds to reach the Manhunters, exploding on impact in a chain of violent explosions and a blinding light. The troopers shielded their eyes and as the smoke and light faded, the bodies of the Manhunters littered the ground.

"Hurah!" The troopers cheered as they relished in the small victory. Rico examined the head of one of the Manhunters. He could hear the skrietch before anyone could react.

"Contact front!" Hudson called out but they were standing in what seemed to be a massive swarm. No exists and no way out. The bugs surrounded them, stopping to extend their mandibles and howl to the moons of Klendathu. Rico looked up, dropping the head and readying his weapon.

"What do we do Ace?" Rico asked but Ace was only muttering. His mind flashed back to the events of the first drop on Klendathu.

"I don't know," is all he could repeat as the fear overtook him. The howling cut as the bugs ran.

"Is it me or did the bugs just turn tail?" D12 asked in confusion. The troopers kept themselves ready. Their weapons trained on the vast empty sands of klendathu. Lights of explosions sounded just before the face of a Manhunter could appear in the sites of Deadeye.

"Shit they're back!" Deadeye yelled as she took the shot, throwing the Manhunter's body into the side of a cliff. She pulled her trigger twice more, double tapping the robotic being in the head, her third bullet finally piercing the metal and blowing a hole into it. "Aim for the head!" She yelled. Manhunters took to the sky, shooting beams of energy from their silver weapons. The troopers scattered once again, ducking and running for cover. Another member of Vector was downed by the energy beams. Her body slid against Ratzass. He glanced down and was instantly overtaken by his rage.

"Come on you sons of bitches!" Ratzass yelled as he stood out in the open, hoping to draw their fire.

"This fool is crazy," Riggs said as he and Hudson targeted the Manhunters who took notice of Ratzass. They dumped round after round into the machine's head, watching as it dropped out of the sky. "Hell yeah!" Riggs hollered as he celebrated.

"Ace we need an exit plan!" Rico called out but was met with silence. "Shit Ace!" Rico charged from his position just as a Manhunter landed on the ground. It's weapon was aimed at Ace who was looking to the sky. Rico charged it, throwing his shoulder into the machine's back, knocking it onto its torso. With a roar, Rico pressed the barrel of his rifle into the head of the Manhunter and squeezed the trigger until the Manhunter no longer moved.

"You wanna live forever?!" Rico roared into the communications. His men stood to their feet, pressing their offensive just as the Manhunters dropped to the ground. Rico ignored the pain from his shoulder as he continued his attack. D12 and Harpy pulled grenades from their belts, tossing them at the feet of the Manhunters. Their bodies were flung in the explosion but were not destroyed. The metal plating of their bodies were damaged as their internal wiring began to show, sparking every so often. The Manhunters closed the distance and ceased fire as they charged the ranks of the troopers. A Manhunter slammed his fist into the helmet of a marine, cracking it as his body slammed into the sand. The marine turned onto his back to watch as the Manhunter stomped on his chest, crushing both his suit and chest.

"This is Harpy of Roughneck 2-0 reuqesting immediate air support and evac, we have suffered heavy casualties!" Harpy barked into the communications system as Tech covered her. He fired frantically into the mass of Manhunters watching his bullets bounce from their metallic chassis.

"This is not what the hell I signed up for!" Tech said as he chucked a grenade into the ranks of the Manhunters. Its explosion knocked the surrounding Manhunters to the ground only for them to stand back on their feet and rejoin the battle.

"No go for pick up sir!" Harpy called in as she received static in the communications network.

"Let me take a look," Tech offered as Harpy spun on her knee to change positions. Rico watched as another marine's body flew past him with pieces of her power suit chipping away. Rico broke his engagement to check on her. She retracted her helmet, her left eye completely shut and blood leaked from her mouth.

"Hang in there trooper," he said in hopes of keeping her going.

"That's it for me sir, get our boys out of here. Get them home," she said as the life faded from her body. Rico closed her right eye and laid his rifle down and picked up hers. He noticed its heavier frame as it came with a mini gun attachment. Rico rushed his way to the front lines. Slamming the barrel of the mini gun into a Manhunter and as it turned its body from the force of the blow, pulling the trigger and riddling its body with high caliber bullets. Ratzass and Ace joined Rico to force a small line of fire.

"Eat lead!" Rico yelled as he fired at the Manhunters, the high caliber bullets both bouncing off some Manhunters are farther distances while piercing the bodies of the closer Manhunters. The remaining troopers regrouped just as the sky flashed an emerald green. Rico and his men held their fire as the Manhunters seemingly stopped their advancement.

"This isn't your battle soldiers. Leave here and finish your war." Sodam Yat said as he floated above them, his back turned to them. Rico, Ace and Ratzass looked puzzled until Hal Jordan and John Stewart both joined the side of Sodam Yat. The Manhunter's eyes began to glow a darker red.

"No man escapes the Manhunters!" They all chanted as they took to the skies, rushing towards the newcomers. The three Lanterns separated as they met the oncoming threat.

"Fall back!" Rico ordered but the battle was already too close for them to escape. As they turned heel to retreat, Manhunters landed to cut off their escape routes.

"These damn things are really starting to piss me off!" D12 said as he took aim.

"Hold with what you got!" Ace yelled as the troopers resumed their battle. SOdam Yat flew low, constructing a jagged edged sword with his ring as he cleaved through the middle of a Manhunter with one powerful swing. He gripped the legs of the robotic being and launched them at another one of its allies. John floated above the troopers constructing twin miniguns and squeezing back the triggers with his teeth grit. Hal blasted concentrated willpower into the chest of a Manhunter, sending it to the ground. He constructed a shield to block an oncoming blast before charging his attacker with both his fists forward. He slammed into the Manhunter, pressing its body into the sand before gripping his forearm as he blasted its head away with willpower.

The Manhunters surrounded both Lanterns and troopers. Rico continued his rate of fire until his leg burned from the blast of energy. He dropped to a knee wincing from the pain. As his eyes opened, he could see Hudson's body laying on the ground. A quick blink and he could instantly see all vital signs have gone flat. Rico's blood boiled as he looked to see his men and the men of three other platoons being chopped down by an unknown enemy. He stood to his feet, willing himself to continue the fight much like he has done in the past. He took hold of Hudson's rifle and aimed both to the sky, pulling the trigger and firing wildly into the floating Manhunters with a venomous battle cry escaping his bloody lips.

Sodam Yat held up a constructed shield to block a punch from a Manhunter but the force of the attack still sent him backwards. His back burned with the feeling of the jets in the boot of a Manhunter who stomped his heel into Sodam Yat"s back. His body was sent crashing to the ground. John Stewart took notice as Sodam Yat stood back to his feet and jumped into the air again. John constructed a tank and slammed it into a charging Manhunter but felt a blast first in his leg and the next in his shoulder before he was tackled. His body slammed into the side of a cliff but in a flash of willpower he was freed from the hold. Hal took another punch to his jaw but refused to take a step backwards as he lurched forward with a boxing glove constructed from his willpower, slamming it into multiple Manhunters and using it to smash their bodies into the ground. A Manhunter flew low from behind Hal and dragged his face through the sand as he caught it and continued his flight. Hal blasted it with willpower and stood to his feet before blocked a punch and rifling off a kick to his attacker's side.

"There's far too many of them!" John yelled as he constructed a rocket and slammed it into a Manhunter.

"We have to stop them here!" Sodam Yat yelled as he constructed a shield and mace. He rushed towards the troopers, smashing the back of a Manhunter in before slamming the ball of the mace into its head. Sodam Yat watched as a Manhunter grabbed Harpy and flew into the sky. He jumped after them as she pointed hier barrel to its stomach and pulled the trigger. Sodam Yat finished it by slamming his shield into its face. Harpy fell through the sky before activating her jump jet just a few meters from the ground to allow herself to land in a roll. She looked up at the man who saved her before giving him a thumbs up and returning to the battle. Sodam Yat was tackled to the ground, the Manhunter punching his face repeatedly as they descended. His body slammed into the sands hard, kicking up sand and rock. The Manhunter continued its onslaught of an attack. Sodam's face was covered in blood the more the metallic fists made contact. Struggling to raise his fist, Sodam Yat blasted the upper body of the Manhunter to ash with his willpower. He staggered to his feet as blood leaked from the corner of his mouth and the cut over his right brow trickled blood over his eye. His mask was cracked and stained in his blood. Sodam Yat gritted his teeth as the willpower began to seep from his ring. He took flight once against, rising into the air and slamming his fists through the torso of a Manhunter before ripping it in half. He could feel his strength fading and wondered if this sector had a red star. No matter, he could not waste his thoughts on such an ideal.

"Hold the line!" Rico called out as he dragged D12's body and set him against a rock. His chest smoked from the burn of an energy blast. He rolled to his right to escape a low flying Manhunter before popping back up onto his knees and opening fire. He noticed a man flying off into the distance, charging the oncoming Manhunter reinforcements. He could see the man draw in the attention of the Manhunters and from his position he could see them swarm him. His companions attempted to come to his aid but as they flew a massive wave of green energy exploded, throwing everyone to the ground. Rico groaned as he turned to check on D12 who's vitals showed he was still alive. The skies cleared and the battlefield once again fell to the unsettling silence.


	4. Green Lantern Johnny Rico

**Chapter 4 - Green Lantern Johnny Rico**

Sodam Yat looked to the sky, his mind set on ending the conflict. He blasted a Manhunter with willpower just as it knocked John Stewart to the ground. He flew through the dark sky, blasting his way through the Manhunters until their attention averted to him. His eyes locked in the force of Manhunters coming to aid in battle. He raced forward constructing twin swords. Floating above the battlefield Sodam Yat cut through the bodies of Manhunters as more swarmed around him, blasting and striking him in attempts to slow him down but he continued his fight. Even with his uniform torn, leg and chest smoking from the burns and blood dripping down his body, Sodam Yat fought the mass of enemies. "In brightest day, in blackest night," Sodam Yat began to chant. "No evil shall escape my sight," he continued as he slammed his first into the face of a Manhunter. "Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power," Sodam Yat's willpower began to build around him, keeping the Manhunters from landing any more blows. "Green Lantern's light!" With the oath completed his power exploded outwards in a war of emerald energy, dispatching with the remaining Manhunters. His body crashed to the ground, weak from the dump of power.

"Holy shit," Riggs said as he looked up from his seated position. "The green guys did it."

"Hurah," Rico said silently but he could feel the fight was not over. They still stood on the sands of Klendathu and on the bug planet, there was never a bug too far from their location. He also worried about the addition of these new robots. He could feel this mission was about to spiral out of his control. Rico turned to find a green ring floating before him and glowing. It raised to eye level and he could hear the ring speak.

"Johnny Rico, you have the power to overcome great fear," it said to him as he retracted his helmet. "You have been chosen to become a member of the Green Lantern Corps." Rico stood stunned, unable to process what was going on. He hesitated until he could hear the howls of the approaching Arachnids.

"Sir, I'm all out of ammo," Harpy said as many began to protest of their low amounts of ammunition and firepower. Rico shook his head before hanging it low.

"Live forever apes," he said in a low tone before grabbing the ring and sliding it onto his middle finger. A flash of green alerted his combined forces as they looked on. His body floated, glowing in the emerald color of willpower. Sodam Yat, Hal Jordan and John Stewart stood to their feet gazing upon the newest member of their corps. His once pale green eyes now a deep emerald. His eyes were covered by the traditional green mask that covered from temple to temple in the shape of an arrow. The tip extended over his nose. The black material lead down to his neck where the green collar of his suit began. His trapezius muscles, shoulders and chest were covered in green while a block of green when down his chest, covering his abs and stopping at his waist line. The rest of his suit was black besides his forearms and hands. His forearms hard armored playing that's shielded his forearms and fist for hand to hand combat. His boots had a black armor plating that covered from the flat of his foot to the knee. On his chest, in the dead center was a white lantern shaped emblem. His shoulders both bore the lantern shaped emblem but in black.

Rico looked at his hands then to his men. His eyes finally looked just beyond them to see the oncoming swarm. "Harpy, radio in for pick up!" Rico yelled as he flew forward. His body raced past the swarm as he realized he had no idea what he was doing. "Shit, how do I stop this thing?!"

"You have to think it!" A voice yelled out. Rico looked behind him to see the three men in green following him. He had not even noticed he stopped flying and was now floating in the air. "The ring works off of what can think of." John explained.

"Put simply, you think it and the ring ensures you can do it or creates it," Hal added. Rico nodded as he understood what they were explaining and raced past them. He floated between the swarm and his men and thought of the internal build of the MK II Marita assault rifle. The weapon manifested into his hands and he instantly began squeezing the trigger. Unloading and endless amount of ammo into the bugs.

"Holy shit is that Rico?" Deadeye asked as she took aim.

"No time for that, open fire!" Ace ordered as he squeezed the trigger. They were desperate and running low on ammunition. The swarm continued to race forward even as Riggs threw all the grenades and charges he had strapped to his body. Rico took notice and constructed a rocket and launched it at the bugs.

"Holy shit!" Rico yelled in excitement.

"Watch and learn rookie," John said as he landed in the middle of the bugs followed by Hal. The two stood back to back, both firing miniguns into the bugs and tearing them apart. Hal let go of his construction and blasted pure willpower into the approaching arachnids. John constructed a massive armored fist and slammed it into the bugs, throwing them backwards with the force of his punch.

"Heh, show offs," Rico muttered before dropping into the battle with enough force to shake the ground, throwing the body of Arachnids in multiple directions. Sodam Yat landed behind him with his twin blades and narrowed his eyes.

"So rookie, show me what you've got," he said as he dashed forward, slicing clean through the nerve cluster of a bug. Rico thought hard of his power suit, constructing it around his body and holding his fists into a fighting guard. The first arachnid to come close extending its mandibles towards Rico. he parried the left mandible and took hold of the right, shifting his hips and tossing the arachnid to the side. He thrust his boot into the nerve cluster of the next charging arachnid, causing it to fall onto its back with its legs curling inwards as it died. The troopers looked on as the now four Lanterns fought to protect them. Harpy could see the dropship only a few hundred meters away.

"Prepare for pick up!" Ace yelled as he caught on to Tech pointing towards the dropship. I hadn't landed, only hovered to avoid the swarm from one hundred meters off the ground before opening the back hatch doors. "On the bounce!" Ace called out as he rushed towards the dropship. Each trooper activated their jump jets to safely enter the dropship.

"What about Rico?" Riggs asked as the hatch doors slowly closed.

"Something tells me he's got complete control of the situation," a marine said as he took his seat, clutching his side.

"Your men are safe!" John yelled as he flew upwards. "Time for you to come with us!"

"Wait what?" Rico said before he could no longer control his own body. The emerald green power took over him and whisked him off world. He couldn't stop himself from taking flight and racing through the darkness of space. He watched as he passed the fleet of starships unable to stop no matter how hard he concentrated on it. Beside him to the left was Hal Jordan and to his right John Stewart. Above him was Sodam Yat, his eyes locked forward. He felt his body pick up speed and for what seemed like an eternity, his body raced through space. A planet came into sight and before he knew it he was entering the atmosphere. Rico's mind flashed back to a drop he made and instantly maneuvered his legs under him as he landed in the soft grass on one knee with his fist placed into the soil.

"Nice landing," Hal joked as he lowered himself into a slow walk. Sodam Yat and John Stewart landed behind Hal, arms folded over their chests.

"Johnny Rico," a soft voice called out. Rico stood to his feet to see a smaller man with a large head. The small man turned to face Rico, a serious expression on his face that had not matched the voice he heard. "I am Ganthet, a guardian of the universe. You have been chosen to serve a higher purpose."

"A higher purpose?" Rico repeated in confusion.

"Yes, we have watched you. You have survived years of a war you had not started and saved many lives overcoming great fear in battle." Ganthet explained with his hands clasped behind his back. "Should you accept the responsibility presented before you, you shall become a member of the galactic police force known as The Green Lantern Corps."

"Join the what? I'm a soldier in the Terran Federation Mobile Infantry. I can't abandon my men or my people. Like the ones who made it onto that dropship."

"Rico there is more danger out there than just the Arachnids," Sodam Yat cut in. "There are horrors no one should face and it is our job to keep every living being safe. I ask you to honor your title as a warrior and join us, save more lives than you have ever dreamed of." Rico stood still in silence, his might trying to process what he's heard.

"Wait, you called yourself a guardian? What is it you guard because from where I stand it isn't life. I've watched men and women good men and women die before my eyes and in my arms for years while we fought an enemy that outnumber us by the millions. Why have you not exterminated every goddamn bug if you're here to guard life!?"

"Your people invaded their homes. You stumbled upon a hostile race that lived rather peacefully until you intervened. Their space sector went unbothered until you built colonies on their planets and they attacked in defense of their territory. It was also you who waged war upon them, such as I have learned to be the human way of doing things." Ganthet answered coldly. Rico took another moment of silence, understanding what was said but not wanting to admit it.

"Can I see my men again?" Rico asked.

"You cannot return to them as a soldier but I have a feeling you will be seeing a lot of them soon." Ganthet answered.

"And what about the bugs?"

"You will have nothing to do with them unless we are ordered to do so," Hal Jordan said. "If you were to simply leave them be, they would have no impact on your lives.

"Now he's done it," John Stewart muttered.

"You know nothing of my our my people's lives," Rico said with venom in his voice. "My entire family and home country were blasted away by an asteroid these monsters shot through space with plasma. They have bugs that can suck the brains out of someone and tell them everything that person has ever known. They have spores they shoot out into space and when it lands on a planet or asteroid the bugs infest it and god forbid any spore or asteroid infested with bugs lands on a colony. The bugs will wipe out all life within hours. So don't hand me that live and let live bullshit until you've fought these things without one of these!" Rico held up his hand with the Lantern ring as it tightened into a fist.

"Stand down soldier," John said.

"That is quite enough," ganthet cut in, " I understand your frustration but will you help us save millions more lives or will you return to your war?"

"So then what do I have to do?" Rico asked as he noticed a smirk stretch across Ganthet's lips.

"Well first thing's first," Ganthet started but was cut off by the sound of a deep voice from above.

"Bootcamp poozer!" A large, piglike human hybrid that Rico could only describe mentally as the most horrifying creature he has ever seen exist landed before him.

"I've had all the training I will ever need," Rico said to the massive imposing being. He stepped closer.

"This is the most powerful weapon in the universe, not like your rifles or mechs back in your little army." The beast stepped closer looking down into Rico's eyes. "The wearer thinks and the ring constructs the thought into reality using willpower as its power source, so tell me, poozer, can your weapons do anything close to that?"

"I see you and Kilowog will get along just fine," Ganthet said as he turned his back to the group. The beast had pink skin and a large muscular frame. It's face had no lips and a thick jaw bone that could be seen sectioned from the rest of the skull's shape. It's nose was more of just two nostril holes and eyes white as crystals. His ears were pointed and short and face housed thick brows and what seemed to be an even thicker skull. His face somehow seemed to be twisted into a scowl deeper than the one he wore when he first made his descent. Rico took notice of Kilowog only having four fingers. From his massive neck to shoulders down to his pelvis were covered in green. Between his biceps to upper forearms were black, giving way to the white gloves. From his pelvis down to his upper calves were black that gave way to his green boots. Rico studied the beast, trying to figure out if he were fantasy or reality, but judging from the size of the little blue man he figured more real than he wanted.

"Good luck Lantern Rico," Ganthet said as Kilowog rushed him, jamming his shoulder into Rico's chest.

"C'mon poozer! Show me what the boys in blue taught you!" Kilowog yelled.

"If you wanna play drill sergeant, you've gotta be a little tougher than that!" Rico yelled before clasping his hands together and slamming his fists into the base of Kilowaug's neck. He dropped to a knee giving Rico the chance to grab the nape of his neck and thrust his knee forward but Kilowog stopped it with his forearm. He lifted Rico up by his side and leg before throwing him forward. Rico landed in a roll before popping back up to his feet. Kilowog charged again but Rico stopped his movement with a front kick. He rushed forward with a left hook combined with a right uppercut, throwing Kilowog's chin to the sky. Kilowog slammed his fist into Rico's jaw, knocking him sideways but the trooper was persistent. He took a step out to his left to avoid going down to the ground and rifling back with another left uppercut. Kilowog's chin once again reached the sky until he lunged forward head first, slamming his forehead into Rico's. Rico slumped to his knees, blood trickling from his forehead down between his brows along the bridge of his nose. His mind was shaken and vision blurry.

"See ya when you wake up, poozer." Kilowog said with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Was that really necessary?" Hal asked as he watched Rico slowly lay across the soil.

"Kid's got spunk, I like spunk." Kilowog said plainly. Kilowog rubbed his jaw, "hits hard too, I think we got another top tier guy here."

"Enough, lets get him to the med bay," Sodam Yat cut in. He reached for Rico, picking him up and holding him on his shoulder.

"What's with the look?" Kilowog asked with both his hands raised and shoulders shrugged.

"It's always a wonder how anyone survives your training." Sodam said coldly before flying off. Hours passed as Rico slept deeply. His breathing was sporadic before he snapped himself upright, waking from his slumber. His eyes shifted along the room, glancing past the beeping machines with their flashing lights. He could have sworn he was locked in battle with a pink skinned beast or maybe it was all a dream. He looked down at himself to see the suit he acquired after putting the green ring on his finger. He had not been dreaming. He removed the ring and to his surprise, he was wearing the body sleeve he would wear under his power suit.

"At least I'm not naked," he said to himself with a sign of relief. It took him a matter of minutes to notice the woman working on the computer behind him, her back turned. He noticed her slim but toned frame and the color scheme of her attire and deduced she must have been apart of the Green Lantern Corps. She turned and smiled lightly.

"Another rookie flattened by Kilowog," her voice was soft. "He said you packed a hell of a punch for a poozer." Her violet hair spiked upwards in short strands. Her skin was a shade of reddish pink and eyes matched the color of her hair. Her suit was collared with a black collar that was rimmed in green. The collar lead to a V shape going down her chest, exposing some of her cleavage. Rico made a note to not stare as he examined her suit. The shoulders were green and followed the same v shape as the opening down to her navel. Just above her left breast was a white circle that housed her green lantern emblem. Her gloves and boots were white. In her hands laid a clip board constructed by her power ring. "So you were a soldier?"

"I still am ma'am." Rico answered.

"Around here, we are peacekeepers and not soldiers." She corrected as she paced around his seat position.

"Who are you?" He asked as he kept his eyes locked on her.

"I am the medical specialist of this phacility, Soraniku Natu. Green Lantern of sector 1417 from planet Korugar." Natu explained.

"I'm.."

"Formerly known as Colonel Johnny Rico of the Terran Federation Mobile Infantry and now Green Lantern of an undecided sector." Natu cut him off before he had the chance to stumble on his own words. "When you're ready," her clipboard disappeared, " report to the barracks in uniform. I'm sure Kilowog has spent the hours you were sleeping planning on ways to break you." Her smile was assuring but Rico couldn't tell if it was assuring of his demise or success. He signed as she exited the room ad stood to his feet holding the ring in his hand.

"Mom, Dad, I hope you know I'm doing this to make a difference in this world," Rico muttered before placing the ring back onto his finger and watching as the suit formed and willpower flowed through him.

"Hey poozer, hurry it up already." Kilowog said. Rico looked around the room to see no one else with him.

"How the hell can I hear you?" Rico asked.

"The ring acts as a communicator just speak while holding your fist up and you should be able to contact anyone you think of within the corps or even outside of the corps." Kilowog explained. "Now get a move on, we have training to do!"

"Reporting for duty sir," Rico shouted while standing at attention. Kilowog stroked along his jawline with a devilish grin on his face.

"You're more trained than I expected, this is going to be fun." He said as the training began.

"So if I imagine it, the ring will create it?" Rico asked.

"That's the short way to explain it, yes." Kilowog replied. "Your ring also comes equipped with a universal translator. How else did you think you can understand me? Hope you didn't think we speak the same language." Kilowog went on to explain the basic functions of the ring. "Your rig grants you the ability of flight, allowing you to easily move across great distances with great speed. Your ring also comes equipped with healing capabilities. If you are suffering from almost any form of ailment, your ring, so long as it resides on your finger, will purge the ailment from your body to render you fit for duty."

"That sounds lovely," Rico said sarcastically. Ignoring the sarcasm, Kilowog continued.

"You should know the ring has a weakness. For years in the past of the Green Lantern Corps, our central battery housed the entity of fear itself, Parallax. In time, we were able to purge him from our battery and overcome his impurity but many of the new recruits still can use their rings to affect anything of the color yellow, the color of fear."

"That sounds like it could become trouble," Rico said.

"Only when faced with a Yellow Lantern of the Sinestro Corps. Hopefully you don't meet one any time soon." Kilowog said. The next six months of Rico's life were hard. He trained from the time the two suns raised to the time the two suns fell. Pyshically and mentally, he was surprised at the amount of meditation he was forced into doing to insure he could focus but with the meditation came boarderline torture as Kilowog would throw everything he could think of at Rico to insure he stays focused. "Well pozzer, it's been fun but I sadly have to pass you off to the real world. There's a lot of bad out there but I trust you to make the right decisions and handle yourself well."

"Thank you sir," Rico said.

"Finally the fun part," Kilowog began. "Your ring will not stay charged forever it runs on a battery. You have been fortunate enough to use the central battery to charge your ring until now. Each lantern comes with his or her own miniature battery to charge their ring. We keep it hidden within the rings themselves. Think of your lantern battery and it will come to you." Rico did as instructed and the battery formed before him. Kilowog followed suit and the two pressed their fists into the battery openings as the locked eyes.

"In brightest day, in blackest night," they chanted in sync. "No evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power Green Lantern's light!" With the Lantern Oath chanted and their rings charged. Kilowog shook Rico's hand and welcomed him to the ranks of the Green Lantern Corps officially.


	5. Green Beginnings

**Chapter 5 - Green Beginnings**

Rico sat at the edge of a cliff, his ring holding up a small construct of Dizzy Flores, an old friend stripped from him by the power of the war. He remembered the look of excitement on her face as she killed a Tanker Bug moments before a warrior took her life. The flash of fear and rage that took over him as he emptied the contents of his magazine. He found his mind drifting back to Outpost two-nine.

"Keep it moving apes," the lieutenant of the Roughnecks platoon said as they moved through the canyons of Planet P. The troopers walked in silence as Rico and Ace scanned the skies for any aerial attacks.

"Gotta love Planet P, ya know?" Ace began, "constant fear of swarm, always on the bounce, sleep ha! Who needs that?"

"Can it Ace, eyes peeled," Rico said.

"Yes sir," Ace said reluctantly. Rocks bounced down the side of the canyon, grabbing both the attention of Rico and Ace.

"Sir, I can't get any signal in these canyons." The communications trooper said as he held up the phone.

"It's probably the canyons," Ratzack said as he retracted his helmet. "Move to higher ground and keep trying son." The trooper nodded and started off up the canyon side.

"This is Roughneck two-zero, come in Rodger Young." He repeated the higher he climbed. He was completely oblivious to the creature watching and lurking besides him. It sprung from its place of hiding, flapping its wings hard as it lunged for him. Its exoskeleton was green and body slicker than the average Arachnid. It also came equipped with a stinger located on the thorax. It jammed its stinger into the tech trooper's chest, carrying him off to the opposite side of the canyon. The troopers turned their attention to the sky as the sound of the trooper's screams rang out into the canyon.

"Shit, anyone got a shot?" Dizzy asked as she took aim with her rifle.

"Not without hitting him," Ace answered as he gritted his teeth. Ratzack took aim as the arachnid continued to stab the trooper in his back after dropping him onto a ledge. With a slight sigh Ratzack took fire, blowing a hole in the chest of the trooper and killing him. He watched as the arachnid flew off.

"I expect anyone in this unit to do the same for me," He said coldly before turning his back to them and returning to his travel. Rico, Ace and Dizzy looked between each other while retracting their helmets. Rico looked towards Dizzy, her curls were pulled into a ponytail and eyes brown. She shook her head before the three continued pressing on, reaching a silent place of understanding. The Roughnecks pressed on until they came to the metal walls of their destination. The blood stained the outer walls as did the dismembered body parts of the troopers who once defended it. They walked past the carcass of an Arachnid warrior. Ratzack held up two fingers then waved his hand forward. Two of his troopers rushed into the facility, instantly sweeping from the sides to the center of the facility compound. Nothing but wide open space littered with blood stained floors and bodies. Ratzack waved his hand forward, signalling all of his men to move in.

"Jeez," Ace said retracting his helmet and looking around. "Someone humped the bunk."

"This was a damn massacre." Rico said.

"Sweep the area top to bottom apes!" Ratzack ordered. His forces spread out, checking the few compound rooms.

"Bug hole!" A trooper called out gaining the interest of Ratzack, Rico, Ace and Dizzy.

"Looks like they came in while the guys were having chow," Ace said.

"Close it," Ratzack said as he continued forward followed by his four in command.

"Sir," Watkens called in on the radio, "I have men manning the guns and a watch overlooking the valley."

"Good job trooper." Ratzack answered. Ratzack came upon the control room, looked at the trooper with his head down on the control panel. "Rico take a look at this," Ratzack said as he held the young man's head up. The top of his head was caved in, his eyes rolled up into the back of his head. Rico gritted his teeth as he looked down into the head. Ratzack pressed two of his mechanical fingers into the hole. As he pulled them out slowly he only had the faint trails of blood cling to his fingers. "Flores I want communications up now." He could hear knocking coming from the lockers. Rico and Ace stacked up on each side of the lockers, keeping their weapons locked on the lockers. A man in a black body suit fell out of the locker in hysterics.

"We're gonna die! Don't you understand, we're all gonna die!" He yelled frantically while grabbing onto Rico. Ratzack grabbed him by his shoulder, spinning his body around and pushing him hard into the locker.

"Get a hold of yourself general!" Ratzack yelled as he looked into his eyes. The general compelled himself, taking a deep breath before taking Ratzack's hand.

"Thank you, every single last one of you is going to be a hero," he said. Ratzack looked to Rico and Ace before following the general out of the tent and into another.

"The bugs attacked us while we were eating, probably trying to stop us from what we are doing out here." As he spoke an explosion went off and sand kicked through the tent causing the general to jump. "Over here, there's a new bug. It gets in your brain look they did it to poor Freddie here they got into his brain. They wanna know what makes us tick, they wanna know us so they can kill us."

"Watkins, prepare the defenses," Ratzack ordered as he walked to the outside of the tent.

"Wait where's the retrieval boat?" The General asked as he watched Rico pull the latch of his rifle backwards to chamber a round.

"Bugs!" Watkins yelled from the ramp leading to the upper deck that overlooked the valley. The general fell into hysterics yet again.

"We're gonna die, We're all gonna die!" He continued to yell until Ratzack struck him on the jaw with a punch.

"Pull yourself together and fight, sir." Ratzack said with venom.

"I can't, I can't. You might as well just shoot me." The general said while groveling on his knees. Ratzack raised his weapon and took aim.

"No sir, the general is just a little out of his mind sir," Rico said as he lunged forward, pressing Ratzack's weapon downward.

"Form up and give it everything you've got! Come on you apes, you wanna live forever!" Ratzack yelled as his mind returned to the battle to come. The troopers all rushed up the ramps, taking places on the wall. Their weapons draped over the edge, aimed towards the massive swarm. Arachnids charges, climbing over each other as they rushed to the troopers they knew to be caught in their trap. Their combined howls became almost deafening as they reached closer.

"Oh my god," a trooper whispered as the valley turned into a sea of bugs.

"How the hell do we even fight this?"

"Fire at will!" Ratzack ordered as he opened fire. The two gunners on the platform squeezed down on both triggers, feeling the belts begin to feed their weapons ammunition before spitting it out and into the ranks of the arachnids. Their entire advance was halted as the bullets tore through them.

"That's it, kill em all!" Rico yelled as he activated the gatling gun on his left shoulder. The massive weapon tilted over his shoulder, resting on it as the barrels began to spin and whine. Within seconds, thousands more rounds were pumped into the battlefield creating a wall of death. The bugs began to race around and over their fallen kin. Ace and Watkins activated their rockets and let them loose into the ranks of the bugs, throwing their bodies about as the valley started to grow stained in green slime and lost limbs. The first bug to make contact with the metallic walls was gunned down by the troopers along the wall. More activated their secondary weapons and continued increasing the amount of used munitions. The bugs continued their relentless push, few of them even managing to touch the walls of the outpost.

"How many of them even came here?" A trooper shouted as he continued to fire.

"Look, in the sky," another trooper yelled. More of the flying Arachnids raced to the compound. The men on the heavy gun emplacements turned their attention from the valley to the sky, killing two of the flying creatures as they got closer. One manager to decapitate a trooper before being shot down. A final flying Arachnid came down and forced Rico and Ace to drop to their bellies. As they continued to fire at the creature, it lost its balance and soon flying out of the sky, crashing into the frantic general who lacked the protection of a power suit. His blood smeared on the ground as the creature's body collided with his own and skid across the ground.

"Rico, where's my communication?" Ratzack asked as he pulled Rico to his feet by his chest rig.

"Diz, status on the up link," Rico radioed in as he made his way down the ramp and into the compound. He rushed into the command tent hoping for a sign that Dizzy established communications. The moment he heard voices gave him a sign of hope. Rico snatched the microphone and spoke into it. "This is Roughneck Two-Zero and we need pick up now!"

"But Planet P is clear." The voice responded.

"This place crawls sir," Rico said coldly.

"What is your location?"

"Come down on this transmission."

"Come down on the outpost, that's crazy!" The voice replied in hysterics.

"Well I hope you have a crazy pilot, out!" Rico slammed down the microphone as Dizzy smirked at him. Their helmets covered their faces and they rushed to the compound. "Boat coming down sir!" Rico yelled as he reached the compound. Ratzack gave him a nod as he dispatched of an Arachnid that made its way up the pile of dead bodies that lay against the outpost walls.

"Troopers drop your payloads and buy us some time!" Ratzack ordered and seconds later ten troopers emptied their rocket canisters. The combined explosions caused chaos in the valley, throwing bugs into each other and the ground. "Fall back into the compound!" Ratzack ordered while the bugs were distracted. The troopers jumped into the compound, putting their backs to the far wall and preparing for the worse. The silence was the hardest part as the Arachnids drew closer. The bullets began to fly again as the Arachnids climbed onto the walls of the compound. "Hold with what you got!" Ratzack yelled before releasing a war cry as he blew the legs off the first bug he saw. The battle continued, bugs climbing the walls only to have their limbs blown from their body but unwilling to give any form of surrender. The bugs grew anxious and began to throw the dead bodies from the piles and claw at the walls of the outpost. Their howls growing louder and will to fight increased.

"Sir, none of that sounds any good!" A trooper yelled.

"Hold the line," Ace yelled as he noticed his ammunition reserves beginning to run low.

"Running low!" Watkins yelled as he began to take precision shots, aiming for the nerve cluster of any bugs coming over the wall. Dizzy pulled her trigger only for it to click dry.

"Shit, I'm out!" She yelled just as she turned to face Rico, there was already a magazine in the air. She caught it, sliding the cartridge into the feeding slot of her rifle.

"Make 'em count!" Rico yelled as he continued ripping through the bugs on the wall with his gatling gun attachment. A warrior fell into the compound but quickly scrambled to its feet, racing through the storm of bullets towards the troopers. It lost its mandibles and pincers, even two of its four legs but continued forward to slash a trooper across the chest with its jaw, killing him as it fell to its death. Another Arachnid drove it's pincers into the wall and thrusting itself upwards over the wall, landing close to a trooper and driving its pincer into his chest before throwing him into another. The bug quickly raced for the two fallen troopers but was put down by a shot to its nerve cluster.

"How long until pickup?" Ratzack asked but Dizzy could only shake her head. It was then that the ground of the compound shook just before the panels that created the floor sunk into the sands. Ratzack and multiple troopers slid into the newly created sand pit and as the others crawled out, Ratzack seemed stuck and fired into the sands.

"Holy shit!" Rico yelled as he, Watkins, Dizzy and Ace rushed to their lieutenant's aid. Rico and Ace each took one of his arms as Dizzy kept a steady firing rate into the sand and Watkins covered them from the bugs invading the compound. They gave three strong pulls until his body was set free. Both of his legs were ripped off at the knees, his blood pouring into the sand. Rico looked down to his legs but felt his mechanical fist grab his chest rig.

"Rico," Ratzack muttered through his agony. "You know what to do!"

"Yes sir!" Rico stood and took aim at his superior.

"Do it Rico!" As Ratzack gave Rico his final order, Rico took the shot blowing a hole in his chest and ending his life. The four rushed out of the hole as the ground began to shake once more. From the sands came the head of a black, beetle like creature. Between its eyes was a small tuning fork that conducted the spark for its flamethrower like powers. It raised a leg out of the sands, planting it down onto the compound walls. The troops continued firing at the oncoming swarm while growing nervous of the appearance of the new threat.

"Tanker!" Rico yelled as Dizzy rushed forward. She dropped a bug or two on the way before pulling a grenade from her belt. She slid under and Arachnid as Watkins dealt it the killing blow and as she sprung to her feet, she launched the grenade into the mouth of the Tanker Bug. Within seconds, its upper half exploded, throwing its thick orange blood all over anything within four to five meters of its body. Dizzy shouted in joy as she thrust both her fists into the air then turned to join her fellow troopers.

"Dizzy!" Rico yelled as he watched in horror. A warrior bug rushed behind her, thrusting its pincers but missing the first strike. Dizzy turned to see what it was Rico was yelling about and there she looked into the eyes of her own fate. The Arachnid pierced her armor and flesh repeatedly with its mandibles before being gunned down. Rico could remember the blood gushing from her mouth and the dying words of his friend.

"Johnny, don't let me go," she repeated as her final breath escaped her lips. Rico was snapped out of his daydream by the sound of Sodam Yat's voice.

"Mourning a lost one?" Sodam asked as he floated above Rico.

"Lost more than I care to dwell on," Rico said as the construct faded and he stood to his feet. Sodam felt it better to not press the issue and focus on the task at hand.

"What sector are we supposed to be patrolling again?" Rico asked as he took flight.

"I will let your partner answer that question," Sodam said as he crossed his arms. Past him flew a young woman.

"We will be patrolling Sector 2815." She said coldly. Rico couldn't help but notice the glow of her skin in the light of the slowly rising sun. Her golden hair flows behind her as she floated in the light breeze. Her lips were thin but Rico noticed her ears were pointed and lost the idea of her being human. Her stayed hidden behind the mask of the Green Lantern Corps. Her thin lips in a small smirk as she descended to eye level with the rookie Lantern. Around her neck looked to be a green necklace with the lantern emblem that connected to her shirt that showed her cleavage and was low cut in the back. The shirt made a v shape as it connected to her green skirt. Her gloves were white with a green trim just as her boots. "My name is Arisia and I will be your partner," even though her voice was soft, Rico could tell something was wrong. He could hear the coldness of her voice and took a mental note of it. Usually in his line of work, a leader with a distracted mind cost many men and women their lives. Rico simply nodded as she began to fly off. Sodam Yat sat in silence as Rico flew after her. He stayed to her far right as they crossed the galaxy. Rico was still amazed by what he was able to see in the void of space as they entered the Graxos system. Arisia came to a stop just outside of the orbit of Graxos V.

"I am to warn you, we may encounter criminals but our job is to keep peace and not to kill," she said with a small tint of venom in her voice. "As a soldier I know you can follow orders so heed mine. Do not kill anyone." Rico looked down to his ring then back at Arisia and nodded. His mind was still trying to grasp the idea of what it is he was doing. He understood his new job and his new responsibility to save not just his men in a war but all people across all worlds yet his mind continued to battle with grasping that all of this was real. The two Lanterns began their descent onto the planet's surface and Rico's eyes widened at what he saw. The life on the planet flourished and were completely different from the life he had known. Their bodies stood to be seven feet tall with skin the color of gold. Their hair was crystal white and straight as the steal of a sword. Their feet only had two toes that made their foot look as if it were shaped into a U. Rico took note of the flap of webbing between their toes, fingers, under their arms and between the barbed spines on their backs.

"An aquatic race I take it," Rico asked.

"They're amphibious. They breathe air quite well on ground, some would say even better than they do under the seas." Arisia explained as they began to walk through the crowded streets.

"This place is beautiful," Rico looked around taking in the figured they landed on the countryside as he could see hovering vehicles and tall towers off in the far distance. He looked to the sky, noticing the color was a bright tint of lime green, matching the blades of grass he stood on. The trees and plant life were completely alien to him. Some with thick and thorny vines of deep blues and velvet. Others with thin white barks and deep yellow leaves. It felt as if he stood in the middle of a rainbow of color on a world he had not known to even exist.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Arisia asked as she also looked to the sky. She looked down to see a creature wrapping itself around Rico's leg. A single eye and small mouth with an elongated body. Its scales a dark orange and tongue hanging from its mouth. Rico looked down and shook the creature from his boot.

"Beautiful doesn't even cut it," Rico replied as he chuckled. The two flew their way to the city which was alive with the people of the planet. Their vehicles resembled cars but flew with ease. Rico couldn't help but remember the ones from back home on Terra. Their buildings were made mostly of glass and stone. As the people of God and their brightly furred animals continued to live their daily lives, Rico and Arisia scanned the area for anything. It was only a matter of moments before the warmth flushed over them as an explosion sounded just feet away. Seconds later and another explosion in a building from the far side of the city.

"Let's go!" Arisia said, instinct taking full grasp of her. Rico was already in a full free fall before constructing a net to catch the falling debris, keeping it from crushing the people below. Rico watched as Arisia flew to investigate the second explosion only to see her body slammed into the ground, kicking up the gravel and dirt as her body created a deep trail. Rico waited until the people were clear before lowering the debris. He looked back to see a being in robotic armor.

"You Lanterns think you'll stop me from my biggest heist yet!?" He yelled. His robotic suit of armor stood easily nine feet tall. It fired rockets towards Arisia but Rico lunged forward in front of her constructing a brick wall to block the blow. He shot willpower straight forward hitting the robotic suit in the chest, throwing the attacker into a wall.

"Damn, bandits," Arisia said as she made her way to her feet. "If there's one there's bound to be more."

"Oh how right you are," a voice said coming from the smoke of the first building. Blue plasma was shot from the smoke at their positions. Rico rolled to avoid the blast while Arisia took to the sky, flying through the smoke and driving both of her fists into the chest of the bandit. Rico stood to see the bandit he blasted in the chest charging him with the chest of his armor smoking.

"Oh shit," he said just before he felt the sting of the metallic fist strike him in the face. Rico did not fall, he only stumbled backwards on one step. The second blow was to his ribs with a kick that sent his body crashing through the thick glass of the nearby building. Rico stood from the remains of the glass, his suit torn at the shoulder and blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "Ok asshole, it's my turn," Rico rocketed from the rubble, slamming his fists into the helmet of the mechanized suit, launching it backwards into a glass wall. Rico's arm was covered by a gauntlet much like that of his power suit as he slammed it again into the helmet. He could feel a blast coming from behind him and turned, deflecting it with a shield.

"You're a tough one Lantern, but I've killed three of you in my day!" He charged forward, chest still smoking. Rico counter charged him, his body engulfed in the emerald energy of willpower. With a roar the two came to blows, Rico slamming his fist into the metallic fist of his attacker. Creating a clamp, Rico crushed his suit inwards and flew him up high into the sky, knowing the suit was now immobile. He looked to Arisia whose suit was stained in the blood from her mouth and nose.

"Duck!" He yelled as he spun a few rotations before tossing the hulking body of metal. Arisia instinctively dodged the body and watched is it crashed into his own ally. The two crashed down to the ground below as more people continued to scatter in terror. Rico floated over to Arisia who held her arm.

"Not bad for a rookie," she said while smirking. "Backup will be here in five."

"I'll scan the area for any more of them." Rico hadn't given Arisia a chance to speak before flying off. His mind wandered about as he recollected on the event. He couldn't believe the power he was given and how little pain he felt compared to knowing he should be dead from one blow from those mechanical suits. He grinned as he flew a tight path through the many buildings watching both the streets and the skies. Rico's eyes widened as he looked to the sky to see a meteor approaching. "Arisia, I think we have a problem!"

"What is it Lantern Rico?" She asked.

"Small meteor shower coming in, going out to intercept."

"Don't bother, this planet is known for them. They pass by without anything more than a pebble actually making it to the planet's surface." Arisia explained as she awaited the reinforcements.

"Heading back to you then," Rico said taking a moment to stop and watch the meteors fly overhead. He watched as a sizable one crash landed onto the planet's surface along the countryside. His eyes widened as he could see a familiar creature emerge from the smoke and flames. The howl of the Warrior Arachnid rang through the clear fields and within seconds another meteor slammed into the soil. "This isn't a meteor shower it's an invasion!" Rico yelled, "multiple Arachnids spotted, we have to do something or it's gonna be a slaughter!"

"What are you - ," her words were cut short by cries of pain. Looking down she could see a woman trapped in the jaws of an Arachnid and was forced to watch as her body was snapped in half. The blood sprayed from both ends of her now split body, coating the Arachnid in a navy blue liquid. "Oh my god," she said with her eyes wide. They then narrowed as she grit her teeth. "Drive them back!"


End file.
